BLANCHARDVILLE - Pecatonica-Argyle senior Brodie Gross contemplated whether he has been jinxed, unlucky or injury prone.
The 195-pound wrestler in his four-year prep career wrestled in the Division 3 regional tournament just once due to a slew of injuries that have robbed him from staying on the mat. Gross finished in second place at the WIAA Division 3 Lancaster regional last week to qualify for the sectional. He enters the WIAA Division 3 Mineral Point sectional in uncharted territory for an athlete who was a perennial state contender in youth wrestling.
"I have had a lot of bad luck with injuries," Gross said. "I'm probably injury prone."
The litany of injuries he has suffered includes a dislocated kneecap as a sophomore that wiped out his wrestling season. As a junior last year, he suffered a torn meniscus in football that required surgery that sabotaged his wrestling season. Gross had his football season cut short this year with a shoulder injury and a pulled groin. He also had to battle back from mono this year. He practiced for two days and targeted a return for the Mid-State tournament in Whitewater. Two days before the tournament, he tore his meniscus for the second straight year. The assortment of injuries has not shaken his confidence.
"I think ever since youth wrestling, I have wanted to wrestle at state," he said. "I have learned the most how much I enjoy wrestling. It makes me feel grateful for the time I do have to wrestle."
He may enter Saturday's Mineral Point sectional as an unknown wrestler to some, but many of his teammates and coaches are aware his perseverance is more than just an underdog story.
Gross elected not to have surgery on his torn meniscus with a plan of coming back to wrestle this season.
"I couldn't walk after the injury and I was on crutches," he said. "I didn't want to have the surgery again. I had it in my mind to get my knee in a good enough position so I could come back and wrestle at conference."
The treatment plan required a lot of rest at the start. He built up his strength and did return to practice and would go through reps of takedowns and drills when he was healthy enough to handle them.
"If I felt like I could drill takedowns, coach Mike Pitts would let me in practice," Gross said. "If I didn't feel like I could handle the drills and takedowns I wouldn't do it."
He still has pain in his shoulder from a football injury.
"There is a lot that still hurts in it," he said.
Gross went through his first full-go practices two weeks ago before the conference tournament. It paid off as Gross finished in third place at the conference tournament. He's looking forward to finishing in the top three at the sectional to clinch a state berth. Just having a chance to wrestle at the sectional brings a smile to his face.
"It was a little bit of a surprise because I wasn't sure how good I was since I haven't wrestled for so long," Gross said of his second-place finish at the regional.
Gross (6-2) will face Desoto senior Mike Finney (28-7) in the first round of the sectional. Finney defeated Gross 6-2 at the conference meet two weeks ago. Lancaster senior David Chadd (36-0), ranked No. 1, is the heavy favorite to win a sectional championship.
"The good thing is that David Chadd, who is the most difficult in the area, and ranked No. 1, is on the opposite side of the bracket," Gross said. "I hope to qualify for state. I think I have a fairly good shot if I win that first match. I'm just looking at it like any other tournament. It's the same wrestling level you are always at."
The 195-pound wrestler in his four-year prep career wrestled in the Division 3 regional tournament just once due to a slew of injuries that have robbed him from staying on the mat. Gross finished in second place at the WIAA Division 3 Lancaster regional last week to qualify for the sectional. He enters the WIAA Division 3 Mineral Point sectional in uncharted territory for an athlete who was a perennial state contender in youth wrestling.
"I have had a lot of bad luck with injuries," Gross said. "I'm probably injury prone."
The litany of injuries he has suffered includes a dislocated kneecap as a sophomore that wiped out his wrestling season. As a junior last year, he suffered a torn meniscus in football that required surgery that sabotaged his wrestling season. Gross had his football season cut short this year with a shoulder injury and a pulled groin. He also had to battle back from mono this year. He practiced for two days and targeted a return for the Mid-State tournament in Whitewater. Two days before the tournament, he tore his meniscus for the second straight year. The assortment of injuries has not shaken his confidence.
"I think ever since youth wrestling, I have wanted to wrestle at state," he said. "I have learned the most how much I enjoy wrestling. It makes me feel grateful for the time I do have to wrestle."
He may enter Saturday's Mineral Point sectional as an unknown wrestler to some, but many of his teammates and coaches are aware his perseverance is more than just an underdog story.
Gross elected not to have surgery on his torn meniscus with a plan of coming back to wrestle this season.
"I couldn't walk after the injury and I was on crutches," he said. "I didn't want to have the surgery again. I had it in my mind to get my knee in a good enough position so I could come back and wrestle at conference."
The treatment plan required a lot of rest at the start. He built up his strength and did return to practice and would go through reps of takedowns and drills when he was healthy enough to handle them.
"If I felt like I could drill takedowns, coach Mike Pitts would let me in practice," Gross said. "If I didn't feel like I could handle the drills and takedowns I wouldn't do it."
He still has pain in his shoulder from a football injury.
"There is a lot that still hurts in it," he said.
Gross went through his first full-go practices two weeks ago before the conference tournament. It paid off as Gross finished in third place at the conference tournament. He's looking forward to finishing in the top three at the sectional to clinch a state berth. Just having a chance to wrestle at the sectional brings a smile to his face.
"It was a little bit of a surprise because I wasn't sure how good I was since I haven't wrestled for so long," Gross said of his second-place finish at the regional.
Gross (6-2) will face Desoto senior Mike Finney (28-7) in the first round of the sectional. Finney defeated Gross 6-2 at the conference meet two weeks ago. Lancaster senior David Chadd (36-0), ranked No. 1, is the heavy favorite to win a sectional championship.
"The good thing is that David Chadd, who is the most difficult in the area, and ranked No. 1, is on the opposite side of the bracket," Gross said. "I hope to qualify for state. I think I have a fairly good shot if I win that first match. I'm just looking at it like any other tournament. It's the same wrestling level you are always at."
